manynovel Chapter 299 The turmoil in the court
Chapter 299 The turmoil in the court
"Just now, Lord Du said that there is not enough money in the national treasury. Do you have any idea of a solution?" The emperor directly named.
Du Yikun stepped out and said, "Your Majesty, the tax revenue will not be collected until the autumn. The next few months will be the most difficult time for the treasury."
This year is particularly difficult, because there were many battles at the border last year, so a lot of troops were added. Although the war has not started, there are signs of war outside the border.
In this case, military pay must not be moved, and sufficient food and weapons must be prepared, which are all expenses.
"Apart from taxation, is there no other way?" The emperor was very dissatisfied.
"The Ministry of Revenue is the purse of the imperial court. As the Minister of Revenue, isn't it your responsibility to worry about how to increase revenue and reduce expenditure?"
The emperor's biggest headache was hearing the Ministry of Revenue say it had no money. His harem had already cut spending and never wasted anything. Sometimes he even used his own private treasury to supplement the national treasury, but the plight of the national treasury still had not been alleviated.
Minister Du felt that he was wronged. "Your Majesty, even a good cook cannot cook without rice! The Ministry of Revenue is in charge of territory, fields, household registration, taxes, salaries and all financial matters, but how to increase revenue is not the Ministry of Revenue's business! I am powerless!"
Isn't this embarrassing for him? Can he still make money out of it?
"Minister Du, silver and money are originally under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue. So many new mines were opened the year before last and last year, but couldn't they enrich the national treasury?"
Minister of Rites Luo Chengyi glanced at Du Yikun. This old guy cried poor every day, but the mines had obviously made a lot of profit in the past two years. Why didn't he say anything about it?
However, he was reported at the court yesterday, saying that he did not manage his family well and that the old man had to control his eldest son's concubines. Today, he must seize the opportunity to flatter the emperor.
What a joke! Who doesn't know about the Tongzhou Iron Mine case last year? Although the mine was rich, due to the layers of corruption, nearly two million taels were embezzled from just one mine.
For this reason, a major purge of officials was carried out in the court. Although the confiscation of property enriched the national treasury, in the end only a little over one million taels of embezzled silver were recovered, and the rest was squandered by those heartless people.
This made the emperor very angry and heartbroken.
Du Yikun's face turned pale. Is this old guy trying to put on trouble for him?
"Enough! So many people can't come up with an idea. They are no better than a fourteen-year-old boy." The emperor snorted coldly. Looking at the faces of these people, he felt very uncomfortable.
"Look! There is already a better solution to the cost of building dams during the flood season, and the court doesn't have to spend a penny."
The emperor threw a memorial to the ground. For a moment, one could hear a pin drop in the hall, and everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.
They were a little confused and caught off guard.
What boy? Why not spend a penny? There are such absurd things in the world.
The Minister of Revenue Du Yikun hurriedly picked up the memorial on the ground, looked at the signature on it, and found that it was actually the Fourth Prince.
He opened it and read it carefully, but the more he read, the more frightened he became. Even until he reached the end, he was still immersed in his own thoughts.
"Great! This is a great idea!" How did this come up? He couldn't help but admire it.
Give it to me! Luo Chengyi rushed forward and snatched the memorial from his hand, and everyone rushed forward.
"This? This is not possible?" Everyone was shocked. Some people thought that this plan was feasible, but others disagreed.
"Your Majesty! The Fourth Prince stated in his memorial that he wanted to open a new market, and to build it in the valley. How much will it cost? Those merchants are not fools. They don't see the actual benefits, so how can they be willing to pay the money?"
"I think this plan is difficult to implement. After all, merchants are profit-oriented and will not release the eagle until they see the rabbit."
"I second the motion! How can it be so easy to implement?"
"Sir Yang, I think this plan is feasible. We can know whether they are willing to do it by giving it a try. It only costs money and effort in the early stage, but there will be many benefits in the later stage. There are many businessmen who have a long-term vision, right?"
Everyone was talking about it and arguing with each other.
"Your Majesty, I think it is not wise to abandon the existing wharf. Opening a new wharf will consume a lot of manpower, material resources and financial resources. If the merchants give up halfway, won't it become a mess? Even if there is a contract to restrict it, aren't there enough cases of those merchants taking advantage of loopholes?"
"I second the motion! A young man's wild ideas are not worthy of being accepted by the upper class!"
The emperor sat on the dragon throne, looking at all the situations, and felt it was extremely ironic.
This decision is obviously beneficial with no harm, but how can these people admit that they are not as good as a teenager?
Jiang Youzhen, who was far away in Tongzhou Prefecture, had no idea of the complicated situation in the court. She had already packed her luggage and prepared to go home.
"It's good for you to go back. Your parents will definitely miss you." Daya helped Jiang Youzhen pack his luggage. This time he had to bring back some local specialties, and there were a lot of things.
"Yeah! I've been out for quite some time." Jiang Youzhen nodded. She was a little homesick.
Unconsciously, she had become accustomed to that warm home and her parents who always worried about her.
"If your parents knew that you passed the exam to become a scholar, they would definitely be happy." Daya was filled with emotion. In fact, although she said this, she was not sure what her parents thought.
After all, Jiang Youzhen’s identity is different. If she were really a boy, her parents might go to the ancestral grave to worship her overnight?
"It doesn't matter whether you are a scholar or not. I will go to the provincial capital to study in a few days." Jiang Youzhen roughly knew what his parents were thinking, and he didn't know whether the couple had figured it out now.
Daya looked at Jiang Youzhen, who was half a head taller than her, with a tall and slender figure and a handsome face. She couldn't help but recall the thin, dark and rough boy from before.
In just one and a half years, Jiang Youzhen has changed so much. Is it true that girls change a lot when they grow up? She has grown so beautiful.
"If you go to the provincial school to study, will it be inconvenient? The academy is full of men..." Daya hesitated to speak.
"Don't worry, big sister. I will buy a small courtyard outside the academy. If I really can't find one that suits my taste, I will rent one first."
Jiang Youzhen didn't even plan to share a dormitory with those other students because she had too many secrets.
"That's good. Then you just be careful." Hearing this, Daya felt relieved.
"Junior brother, how have you packed? Let's set off now!" Wen Ruyu knocked on Jiang Youzhen's door. When he saw Daya was there, he hurriedly saluted.
"I didn't know that Sister Jiang was here too. I'm Wen Ruyu, and I'm honored to be here."
"So it's Master Wen. I've always heard from Xiaolang that you take care of her on a daily basis. Thank you so much."
"You're too polite. I don't deserve it. In fact, it is my junior brother who has taken good care of me." Wen Ruyu said a little embarrassedly.
"Pfft!" Jiang Youzhen laughed, "I say you two stop thanking each other, we are all family."